First Batch: Trying to learn from mistakes!

[mrsducky]

I just brewed my first beer! Hooray!

I did a Peanut Butter Brown Ale extract kit from Brewers Best (this flavor, only for one gallon)

Mistakes I would like to learn how to fix next time:
- off, yeasty-bitter taste at the end of each sip.
- waaaaaay over carbonated!


More notes:
Outcome:
Better than I expected, it's actually enjoyable to drink. First half of the taste is good, body is great, was nice and creamy even before carbonation. Peanut butter was just the right amount, not too crazy. Some off flavor, I think a yeasty-bitter kind of taste at the end of each sip. Could that be from trying to rack a gallon into secondary, and maybe getting too much trub with my inexperienced siphon skills?

Process:
I followed the directions as best I could, but didn't take detailed notes. It's the first time, the goal was just to gain familiarity. I fermented for a week or so, then put into a secondary, which I think was a waste for one gallon.

Secondary for a few weeks.

Bottled and let carbonate for two weeks, the house was actually a bit cool so I let it go an extra week longer than I thought, but that may not have been necessary. I tried pouring into a glass and about three quarters of the glass was foam, with big bubbles. So maybe I overdid it...

* possible reasons: I boiled the simple syrup only for five minutes, and then read later that 10 may have been better. Let it sit too long? Didn't put in the fridge?

No clue OG/FG, just went with the flow. I figured with the kit and pre-measured ingredients, it wouldn't be too far off anyway. It "feels" a little stout, though


Anyway, very glad it wasn't an absolute failure (husband is willing to drink it, so that's a win I think). Thinking about doing either an English-style bitter next, or a Blue Moon clone.

Thanks everyone who takes the time to share info here. I anticipate it will be very helpful.

 

[violinguy]

Welcome!!

A couple things:
Assuming you used sugar dissolved in water for carbonation, you can do one of two things. You can play with the sugar amounts until you get it just right, or, use Domino dots (98 to a pack, found at grocery store). Put one in each bottle before you fill it. I've carbed my last 5 batches this way and haven't had an off-carb batch yet. My latest is a little touch and go - bottled 10 days ago and when I tried one at day 7, it was woefully flat. Hoping an extra few days will fix that. I know 7 days is early.

Second, the beer will continue to improve with time. I brewed 1-gallon recipes for a long time (brewing 3 gallon BIAB now) and they are nice and easy, and a great way to enter the hobby. Unfortunately, the 8-9 beers you get at the end go quickly. Testing one early is out of the question. As you improve, think about upgrading to larger batches. Or not. Totally up to you.

Blue Moon clone will taste great, but it'll need to ferment at a pretty low temperature - 65-68 (maybe 70 max). Make sure you have a place in your home that will allow that - or - use a swamp cooler. Search the forums for how to set one up. Very easy.

This is a hobby that'll take over your life if you let it. I have let it.

 

[BeerAddikt]

Cheers!

Congrats on your successful first batch! The off-yeasty bitter taste you are picking up is because the beer is still green (young). It will fade with time but as violinguy mentioned it's hard to let a 1 gallon batch condition properly.

Most of us don't secondary as it's not necessary unless you are aging for an extended period of time or doing something like a fruit addition, but it's completely up to you.

But I'm glad to hear the beer is enjoyable. You are well on your way to brewing excellent beer!

 

[Brownalemikie]

Welcome!!

A couple things:
Assuming you used sugar dissolved in water for carbonation, you can do one of two things. You can play with the sugar amounts until you get it just right, or, use Domino dots (98 to a pack, found at grocery store). Put one in each bottle before you fill it. I've carbed my last 5 batches this way and haven't had an off-carb batch yet. My latest is a little touch and go - bottled 10 days ago and when I tried one at day 7, it was woefully flat. Hoping an extra few days will fix that. I know 7 days is early.

Second, the beer will continue to improve with time. I brewed 1-gallon recipes for a long time (brewing 3 gallon BIAB now) and they are nice and easy, and a great way to enter the hobby. Unfortunately, the 8-9 beers you get at the end go quickly. Testing one early is out of the question. As you improve, think about upgrading to larger batches. Or not. Totally up to you.

Blue Moon clone will taste great, but it'll need to ferment at a pretty low temperature - 65-68 (maybe 70 max). Make sure you have a place in your home that will allow that - or - use a swamp cooler. Search the forums for how to set one up. Very easy.

This is a hobby that'll take over your life if you let it. I have let it.

Just a minor correction to VG's post. You want buy Domino Dot sugar cubes that come with 198 (not 98) cubes per box

 

[violinguy]

Oops. Thanks!

No wonder my first box is lasting so long

 

[Brownalemikie]

Oops. Thanks!

No wonder my first box is lasting so long

No worries, the bigger cubes won't fit in the top of the bottle.

 

[madscientist451]

Over and under carb problems can be solved by buying a scale to weigh your priming sugar. Here's the one I use, I like it a lot and it cost about $20:
https://www.morebeer.com/products/anvil-small-scale.html

You should also use a priming calculator, there are several online versions:

https://www.brewersfriend.com/beer-priming-calculator/

I would also advise to get away from one gallon batches, its just too much work for not enough beer. Buy a 3 gallon better bottle and do 2-2.5 gallons at a time.
A good beginning book is the "Brooklyn Brew Shop Beer making Book"
It has lots of 1 gallon recipes that are easy to follow, just multiply x 2.5 and make 2 1/2 gallons. The grapefruit honey ale is a great beer as is the dates and honey Belgian; but I'll bet I'll the recipes in the book will come out very good. The point is to get away from kits, buy malt and hops, follow established recipes and learn as you go.
The scale I mentioned above also comes in handy measuring hops.
I don't know how I got by so long without a scale.
So if you want to make better beers:
Brew 2-2.5 gallon batches
Use established, tested recipes
Stop using kits
Take good notes of each batch and keep them in a notebook
Establish a good sanitation routine
Brew often and try different things

 

[mattdee1]

Don't bother with secondary. Just let it ride in the primary for 2-3 weeks, then package it. Think of it this way--there is broad consensus that you have absolutely nothing to gain by racking to secondary, but there are a few things that could go wrong (added oxygen, infection, loss of beer in the transfer, etc.)

Sounds like you might have over-primed the bottles, but just make sure you properly refrigerate the bottles before serving. Fridge temperature beer can hold more gas than room temperature beer, and it takes some time for the gas to dissolve into the beer. I've had beers that would fill glasses half way with foam if they were not properly chilled, but would be OK if they had a few days in the fridge before serving.

For most beers (there are exceptions), the taste will gradually (but noticeably) evolve over the first few weeks in the bottle, reaching a point of relative "finality" around 3-4 weeks. So, if there are some unwelcome flavors in your beer, they may fade with time (or they may get worse... depends on the cause).

These "time effects" on beer are kind of hard to just take as fact by reading on the internet--you really need to kind of experience them to let them really sink in. That's where experience comes in. Brew on!

 

[AJinJacksonville]

Congrats mrsducky! I have to agree with mattdee1...constantly keep brewing things and build your experience up...try different styles...etc. You will try some styles that you will never drink again, and you will develop some of your own that you will want to have on tap constantly. Take copious notes, so when you do find a winning recipe, you will know exactly how to replicate it.

Good luck!

 

[Biscuits]

Congrats on your first batch! There is nothing like taking that first sip of your first beer...except heroin...I hear it is almost as addictive

The yeasty flavor is probably because the beer is still young. Darker beers with lots of specialty grains and adjuncts typically take a bit more time of conditioning to mellow and meld together, I am betting if a bottle survives a few more weeks that flavor will fade. In my experience, I have always had a similar flavor that I now attribute to bottle conditioning. I can only assume it was because in order to bottle condition you are adding fresh sugar to yeast that is mostly dormant or dead and it stresses them out to ramp up and consume again...but again, patience usually solves all.

I think you're right to kind of go with the flow for now.

As for your carbonation, it is probably one part over-carbonation and one part not being chilled. CO2 dissolves into solution a lot easier at colder temps...I usually put my bottles in the fridge for at least 24 hours before opening them.

For now don't sweat the small stuff....and again, congrats and welcome.